Museum Specialist
Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia
Part Time | Up to 28 Hours per Week
$16.00 per Hour

About the Position

The Heritage Alliance is seeking a detail oriented, organized, and collaborative Museum Specialist to support the care, interpretation, and continued development of our museums and collections.

The Museum Specialist will be responsible for exhibits at the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum and the Jonesborough Washington County History Museum, as well as satellite exhibits and future museum spaces. The position will also oversee the day to day care, organization, documentation, cataloging, and digitization of the Heritage Alliance’s collections of objects, documents, photographs, and other historical materials.

This is both a collections focused and public facing position. The Museum Specialist will work with staff, volunteers, visitors, community partners, and museums and historical organizations throughout the region. The position will also assist with museum programming, visitor services, organizational events, and fundraisers.

Heritage Alliance recognizes that all of these tasks may not be possible within the hours allotted, and the candidate will work with the Executive Director to refine as needed to best suit the needs of the organization at any given time. 

What You Will Do

Collections Management

• Oversee the care, organization, documentation, storage, and accessibility of Heritage Alliance collections
• Assist with intake, accessioning, cataloging, labeling, inventory, condition reporting, research, rehousing, and other collections care projects
• Work with volunteers on collections organization and documentation
• Lead the continued digitization of objects, documents, photographs, and other collection materials
• Help transition the Heritage Alliance collections database from its current local system to an updated online database
• Maintain accurate and consistent digital records for staff, researchers, and the public
• Work with the Executive Director to develop and implement strong collections management practices

Exhibits & Interpretation

• Oversee and maintain exhibits at the Chester Inn and Jonesborough Washington County History Museum
• Assist with the development, installation, maintenance, and rotation of temporary and permanent exhibits (approx 2 large and 2 small exhibits per year)
• Develop and coordinate satellite exhibits and assist with future museum spaces
• Conduct research and develop accurate, engaging, and accessible interpretive materials
• Monitor exhibit condition and recommend repairs, improvements, updates, and new interpretation
• Coordinate object loans and other collections needs with museums, historical organizations, collectors, and other institutions

Museum Operations & Visitor Services

• Staff the Chester Inn front desk as scheduled
• Welcome visitors, answer questions, and provide information about Heritage Alliance museums and historic sites
• Coordinate museum volunteers, including scheduling, communication, training, and day to day support
• Track and report visitation, admissions, donations, and other museum statistics
• Help maintain clean, organized, welcoming, and functional museum spaces
• Identify opportunities to improve visitor engagement and museum operations

Museum Programs

• Coordinate and assist with museum programs such as History Happy Hour, History Trivia, History Book Club, exhibit receptions, and other special programs
• Work with the Programs and Education Coordinator to plan, promote, and execute museum programs
• Coordinate speakers, presenters, volunteers, supplies, scheduling, setup, and other program logistics
• Maintain attendance and other program records
• Be available for occasional evening and weekend programs

Communications & Public Engagement

• Create at least one social media post each week related to museum programs, exhibits, collections, local history, or other museum activities
• Help promote museum programs, exhibits, collections, and special projects
• Identify interesting objects, photographs, documents, and stories that can be shared with the public
• Represent the Heritage Alliance at community events, history fairs, conferences, and other public activities

Organizational Events & Fundraising

• Participate in major Heritage Alliance events and fundraisers, including: 
  
  • Afternoon Tea
  • Progressive Dinner
  • Storytelling Festival
  • Jonesborough Days and Heritage Fair
  • October tours and special events
  • History Trivia and other special programs
  • Town of Jonesborough events
• Heritage Alliance fundraisers and special events
  Assist with event setup, programming, volunteers, and other responsibilities as needed

Regional Collaboration

• Participate in the Northeast Tennessee Museums Association
• Work with the Chuckey Depot on exhibit development and serve on the exhibits committee as needed
• Develop relationships with museums, libraries, archives, historical organizations, collectors, and other cultural institutions throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia
• Coordinate collection loans, research requests, shared resources, and other collaborative projects
• Participate in professional development and regional museum networks when appropriate